Alden Ehrenreich is turning the camera lens on the pitfalls of stardom.
The ‘Fair Play’ and ‘Solo’ actor makes his directorial debut with ‘Shadow Brother Sunday,’ a short film that will premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival. Ehrenreich also wrote the short film, which centers on a down-on-his-luck musician who comes home the day of his younger brother’s movie premiere to steal his computer and sell it to the paparazzi. Watch the trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, in the video above.
Nick Robinson plays the high-profile brother, with Francis Ford Coppola executive producing. Ehrenreich made his feature film acting debut in Coppola’s “Tetro” and then appeared in the Academy Award-winning “Twixt.” The cast of “Shadow Brother Sunday” also includes Ana Auther, Lisa Edelstein, Elizabeth Guest, Nick Searcy, Ayah Weitz and Jacob Wysocki.
Ehrenreich isn’t the only A-lister behind a family-focused short at Tribeca: Best Actor winner and “CODA” star Troy Kotsur explores his real-life family ties with the documentary short “To My Father,” directed by Sean Schiavolin, while Tom Holland directs the mother-son drama “Last Call,” directed by his brother Harry Holland.
This has been a big year for Ehrenreich. He appeared in the box office hit “Cocaine Bear” and most notably caused a sensation at Sundance with Chloe Domont’s psychosexual hit “Fair Play,” which was picked up by Netflix for a staggering $20 million deal. Ehrenreich told IndieWire at Sundance he was drawn to the “nuanced, complex and carefully written” character opposite co-star Phoebe Dynevor.
“You’re very lucky to have such quality writing, to play characters that are so nuanced and complex and carefully written, but at the end of the day, who you’re doing it with is everything. The fact that Phoebe and I got along and felt compatible like that was really great, and rehearsals are just the thing I’m shocked (aren’t) done anymore, and that isn’t studied as a craft and self more. Especially with relationship movies,” Ehrenreich said. “When the firing squad comes to shoot the movie, you’ve built that ensemble. It means everything and you can be more vulnerable and feel more secure.
In addition to “Shadow Brother Sunday,” Ehrenreich can soon be seen in Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated period film “Oppenheimer” and Disney+’s Marvel limited series “Ironheart.”
“Shadow Brother Sunday” will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 9th.
IndieWire is also sharing the film’s poster, with original artwork by Ehrenreich and graphic design by Emma Berliner.
